Perfect Apprentice: Reboot
by Templar of Honor
Summary: A complete rewrite of the original. With the scarcity of crime the Titans have gone soft. Weak. But when Slade returns with his own team, the Titans spring back into action only to meet defeat. Tensions threaten to tear the team apart and Beast Boy struggles with his new found power and growing feelings for Raven. Ch3- Slade returns and threatens the Titans' very existence.
1. Chapter 1

A/N:

This is the reboot of my very first fanfiction, Perfect Apprentice. The original had seen its fair share of praise despite my dissatisfaction with it, so after three years of it brewing incomplete on my computer, I've finally decided to complete it. It will be entirely rewritten in terms of style and content, but the general plot will remain the same. So if any older members are still around, don't spoil anything and I'll try to throw in some surprises for you. For the newcomers, I hope you enjoy this improvement of an old fic. A little disclaimer before you begin: This is not a Terra spinoff. If you're looking for one, it's not here. If you're not, then stay and give it a read.

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CHAPTER ONE

Awakening

Beast Boy groaned as his dreary sleep crusted eyes gazed to the bright red numbers of his clock. Seven thirty-six. It was far too early for him to be awake on a Saturday morning. It was only after several more minutes of tossing and turning that he growled in frustration and sat up on his bed. He remained hunched over; his head pounded from god only knows what and his muscles tense. What he wouldn't give to have something to tear into to alleviate his agitation. This marked two weeks of his restless sleep and his abrupt waking in the early hours of the morning, and it would lead to another bad day for him and his friends.

He jumped from his bed in only his boxer shorts and stretched out his stiff body. Bones popped and his muscles loosened slightly, but the uncomfortable pains remained. A sharp pain constantly drilled at the back of his head, which he identified the source of his agitated and aggressive state. He brought it to the attention of Cyborg earlier in the week, hoping his friend could find the source of the pain, or better yet, a solution to it, but he only came up with dead ends. Not even pain killers could stem the pain, which led to a rise in frustration. So far he had managed to not take it out on his friends, with only a few snaps slipping from his mouth. They were fully aware of his predicament, and gave him the courtesy to give him the space he needed.

He tried to take in a deep breath with the hopes that his mind would at least calm. Raven had offered to teach him how to meditate but he knew he didn't have the patience for that. Though her theory of what was wrong with him seemed fairly plausible after Cyborg's dead ends. She had suggested that the problem stemmed somewhere from within his mind and that meditation would allow him to find the problem and keep it under control. The others were also on board with her plan, urging him to attempt meditation. He knew they were all concerned for his well being, but a part of him also knew of their suspicions. They feared that the creature, the Beast, was trying to break free again.

The Beast incident had been completely accidental, the primal creature being awakened by the chemicals that doused him and Adonis. The sudden awakening of this primal force brought out an aggressive attitude in him, which soon gave way to the Beast when he reached his tipping point. Though he had vague and foggy memories of the incident, the Beast easily took down his three friends, and quickly adapted to their fighting styles. But this was only in response to try and protect Raven from Adonis, as well as her other friends. Since he was experiencing the same symptoms before he first turned into the Beast, he could understand their worry. To them, he was a loose cannon, ready to fire at any moment.

But at the same time, their distrust also frustrated him. Before, he never knew of the Beast lying dormant within him. Now he does. Ever since he regained control, he isolated the Beast within, never ignoring its presence. Always watching it, just as it always watched him. This thing inside his mind was not the Beast. The Beast remained dormant, inactive ever since he last shifted to it to protect Raven from Trigon. He placed a clawed hand as a wild surge of pain raced from the front of his head, to the back. When the pain briefly subsided, he looked at his clawed hand in exasperation.

"Already?" he said, his voice still constricted from just waking. His nails had appeared to grown over night into razor sharp claws, as they had each day he trimmed them down. "Is it... tricking me?" Everything led to the Beast. His aggressive behavior, his restlessness, his claws. All were present during the first occurrence, yet still the Beast remained silent. It did not batter against his will or screamed to be free. Just like all the other animals, it remained silent, resting until it would take form. Even his more aggressive forms such as the lion or tyrannosaurus occasionally struck against his will, but years of practice easily silenced them. The Beast was waiting almost... obediently.

He didn't know how much more he could take. Everything was beginning to set him off, even his most favorite activities. He had stopped playing video games with Cyborg, even though he really wanted to, but knew his aggravation would get the better of him. He couldn't even find the patience to crack one of his jokes anymore. It was borderline depressing. He found most of his days spent in the gym, where he could relieve his stress through lifting weights. It was another oddity, since he was the laziest of the five members, rarely using his free time to train. The progress he had made within the last two weeks was outstanding in his eyes. He was still lean and scrawny, but his strength increased regardless. It was a habit he would hope to continue whenever he sorted out what was driving him to the edge.

"I suppose there's no point in standing around and thinking about it," he said to himself. He pulled a fresh battle suit from his closet. Though he wasn't expecting an emergency call today, he would need it for the shape shifting he would do later in the day. They had been on a dry spell of crime lately, a month since their last case. With the Brotherhood of Evil's demise a little over a year ago, superhuman crime was scarce. Only yesterday had a bank robber made the headlines, pulling off a heist only to be apprehended by the authorities sometime later. His stomach rumbled and he decided to head to the kitchen for breakfast before he went off on his own.

#

Raven was always the first to stir in the Tower for it was one of the few moments of time where their home was calm and quiet. There wasn't the chaos of Beast Boy and Cyborg playing their games, or Starfire's cheery singing, or Robin's combat shouts. Just soothing silence so she could read her ancient tomes undisturbed. She took a cup of freshly brewed herbal tea and gently inhaled its aroma. The perfection of the morning seemed too unreal, as if at any moment it could be ruined. As she cracked open her old book, the doors to the common room hissed open. A small sigh escaped her lips. She knew it was too good to last.

She did find it odd that anyone else would be up at this hour in the morning on Saturday. Even Robin, who told her he loved the sunrise, enjoyed sleeping in on Saturday morning. Beast Boy was the last person she was expecting to walk through the doors, his very appearance almost causing her to drop her book onto the table. As the green changeling entered the kitchen, she immediately sensed an agitated mood within him. She didn't even need her power to see that he was already in a bad mood. His hair almost seemed to stand on end and his pointed ears occasionally twitched. It reminded her of a cat in a sense, a very angry cat that was ready to strike.

"Good morning," she said in her usual raspy voice. She figured that simply talking to her teammate would set him off, as did many other trivial thing in the past two weeks, however she wouldn't ignore morning courtesy just because he was in a foul mood. It would only make him a jerk for lashing out at her.

Beast Boy turned to her, his jaw clenched as if she had struck a nerve within him. It was only momentary, however, and he put on a false smile. "Good morning, Raven. No surprise to see you up this early."

Raven raised an eyebrow at him, impressed with his restraint. He wanted to snap at her. Not only could she feel it, but she could see it as well, but he seemed to have the maturity to know that it would be wrong. "It is a surprise to see you up this early. Or up at all for that matter. You do know it's Saturday." She watched him carefully as he scraped together his tofu, not bothering with sculpting it into the form of the more favorable meat products.

Beast Boy forced a laugh. He didn't know why talking to Raven was getting on his nerves, but he refused to lash out on her. She was trying to make conversation with him, something that rarely happened. He tried to think of a joke to respond with, but his mind came up blank. That only frustrated him more. The worst thing about his mood was his seemingly complete loss of his sense of humor. "Just happened to wake up early. My inner clock must be wrong or something," he decided to settle on. He took his plate full of mashed tofu to the table and sat across from Raven. "Is there something you want to say?" Beast Boy said when he noticed Raven still staring at him.

Raven closed her book and set it down on the table. "What's going on with you?" She asked rather boldly. She expected him to lash back her defensively, much like he had always done whenever something was bothering him. But again to her surprise he simply shrugged at her. "You're acting a lot like you were before you turned into that... thing," she said carefully, unsure of what to actually call it. "It's not going to happen again, is it?"

Beast Boy's ears drooped. He knew his friends were all thinking it, but it still stung when Raven said it, especially with an uneasy tone in her voice. Everyone had come to the understanding that when he first changed, Adonis had attacked him, and then Raven, and he was only acting to protect her from harm at all cost. But part of him felt that he really did hurt Raven, and that he might hurt her again. Then again he had also used the Beast to protect Raven from Trigon's army. He was still too unsure about everything.

"I don't know," he said in a low defeated tone. "I don't want to think that is the case, that it is the Beast trying to break free from my will and take control. I can feel it inside me, just like all the other animals and creatures inside me, but it is not fighting my will." He forced a laugh and looked at her. "The lion and tiger thrash around more than the Beast."

This had Raven puzzled. She couldn't even begin to comprehend how Beast Boy's transformations worked or what it required to have his powers. For the most part she always figured he thought of an animal and then became that animal, but now she was beginning to think it was not just that simple. "What do you mean that the lion and tiger thrash around more?"

"Well, having the entire animal kingdom at your disposal can be pretty overwhelming. I have thousands of wild instincts fighting against my will, some more so than others. Predators can be really stubborn, urging me to do things I wouldn't normally do, like hunting prey or attacking innocents." This seemed to surprise Raven, so he decided to elaborate. "It's just the animal's basic instinct to hunt, and I just choose to not act on it because it is not my human instinct. A lot of my early years with this power was relentless training of my mind to separate what is human and what is not, so now they are all subservient to my will.

"Think of a zoo. One giant zoo that contains every species on Earth. That's sort of how my mind works when containing my powers. Each time I shift into an animal, I let it out of its cage, into its natural habitat. My mind still retains its humanity, my instincts simply change. I can be aggressive as a tiger, fleet of foot like a mouse, or accurate like a hawk. That's how my powers work, or at least how I choose to use them." He shrugged. "I suppose someone else could find a better way to explain it but it works for me."

"That is very interesting. I never knew how deep your abilities went into your cognitive function. Perhaps you're not as dim-witted as I thought," Raven added in her dry sarcastic tone. Though she didn't show it, she was please when Beast Boy let out a genuine laugh, one she found that she missed, surprisingly enough. His forced, half hearted laughs over the past two weeks made her appreciate just how much positive energy her friend brought to the team. "So then, this Beast... it's also in this mental zoo?"

Beast Boy nodded. "Yeah, it's there. Sleeping, or waiting for it to be called on again. It's very patient, unlike most of the others which always want to be let out. It may not be the direct cause of my frustrations, but I still do not trust it." He opened his mouth to say more, but hesitated, not sure if he should continue. "Raven, can you make me a promise?"

Raven eyed him suspiciously, wondering if he was about to do something stupid. If he was thinking about leaving the team she would smack him. She didn't know why the thought of him leaving frustrated her, but she wouldn't let him and she could see him deciding on a stupid decision such as that one.

"Don't tell the others about this, about how my powers work. I want to figure this whole situation out first, then I will clear things up."

Raven eased up a little, wondering why she had jumped to the worst case scenario. "Sure thing Beast Boy." Her mouth bent upwards in a slight smile. "I'm confident you'll figure everything out. You know yourself better than anyone."

Beast Boy beamed at her confidence in him. This would be described as one of 'their moments' one he would not ruin this time. He stood up from the table with his empty plate and placed it in the sink. Before he moved to leave the kitchen he faced Raven with his old goofy grin. "Thanks Raven. I'm heading to the forest, far away from anyone. I'm going to confront this Beast and get to the bottom of this. If we get a call and I am needed, that's where I'll be."

"Good luck," she said as he hurried out the common room door. She picked up her book and opened it to where she last left off, but her mind still remained on the green changeling. She was glad he was choosing to confront his inner demon head on to receive answers. It was something she had to do long ago, and wouldn't have succeeded without her friends. Beast Boy was there for her, so she was glad she could be there for him. She only hoped that he could solve the problem before there was any trouble they needed to respond to, for she was not looking forward to confronting the beast again.

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A/N: For the sake of being routine and manageable, I'm going to keep each chapter to roughly 2-3k words. It leaves it short enough to be a quick read but long enough to have juicy bits of detail and action. It also serves as an easier quota for me to reach when I'm sitting at a desk for 12 hours watching security camera feed. Updates could be weekly, bi weekly, or every other day. All depends on how much I get done per 12 hour shift. For instance I have seven hours left and I'm currently drafting chapter 2. Hope you enjoyed this first chapter and the next should be a little more exciting. I respond to all reviews, so if you have a question or a critique, go ahead and leave one.

ToH


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Just from these two chapters I feel this reboot is off to a better start. I at least feel much better about it. It seems like it has more depth than the original while still being a quick read. To give you guys an idea of where I am going with the characters, it is clearly centered around BBxRae and BB takes on a more serious approach in this fiction. He'll still be rather carefree and may pop a few jokes here and there, but I like to give him a little more reserve than what the show does. While Robin and Starfire are not the prime focus of the fic, it will work under the assumption that they are already together, and simply share more intimacy with each other rather than full blown steamy romance and back and forth crush talk. And Cyborg, well, he's just foreveralone for now. And as stated in the first chapter the setting is about a year after the Brotherhood of Evil so you can assume their ages are around 17-19.

Enjoy

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Clash of Wills

Beast Boy stood alone in a forest clearing, miles away from any source of civilization. The woods were oddly silent, as if all animal life ceased to exist. The peace was soothing, yet unnerving at the same time. The woodland creatures fled from him in fright, from the birds and squirrels in the trees to the larger deer on the ground. Usually he attracted the attention of the more peaceful animals, almost like they sensed their counterpart within him. He was always excellent with animals, for he felt he could identify with them. This time, however, they avoided him like they would a vicious predator.

He took in a deep breath as he prepared himself for his transformation. There was only one other instance he voluntarily transformed into the Beast, and that was when he was protecting Raven. But he had plenty of fire demons to shred. Now he was alone and out of combat. He swallowed an accumulation of saliva and took in another deep breath. His heart thundered in his chest as he became more and more anxious. The first time he changed he had no control, no memory of the experience. During Trigon's attack, he had retained control. His drive and passion overwhelmed the Beast's instinct. Without that catalyst to keep him in control, he feared the Beast would run wild.

It was now or never. He reached into his psyche, his brain scanning through hundreds of available forms in a split second. His surroundings faded to black as he honed in on the Beast, its grotesque and hulkish form appearing in his mind's eye. The Beast stared back at him in silence, a blank emotionless expression on its face. He opened the creature's cage to let it out, his mental trigger to his transformation. The Beast bounded forward with a furious snarl causing Beast Boy to open his black feral eyes with a gasp. He was losing control.

His pupils dilated and he clutched his skull in his claws. A painful howl chortled from his lungs. The battle was slow as a clash of wills fought to take control. Slowly his human form shifted into that of the Beast. The creature howled and snarled, still its cranium in its claws as it thrashed around. It bulldozed into a tree, the tall ancient oak threatening to come down. In a furious rage the Beast swiped at the base, cleaving chunk after chunk until it came crashing to the forest floor. The Beast flipped out of the way with unnatural speed and grace and came to a stop as its claws dug into the ground. It howled once more and slashed at the dirt, then another tree, then again at the dirt. It attacked anything and everything indiscriminately.

Beast Boy buckled under the force that slammed against his will. He remained conscious as the Beast took form, and pushed back against the imposing will. No wonder he couldn't remember a thing the first time the Beast showed itself. His will was too weak and was suppressed completely with ease. Only his growth in strength and maturity kept him in this struggle of wills. Just barely.

He felt as though he was suffocating under the Beast's pressure, like a wave continuously crashing down on his shoulders. At any moment he could give in, the force too great for him to handle. He watched desperately through the Beast's eyes as it recklessly tore through the forest in a rage. Luckily he noticed the Beast move in circles, so his friends and other innocents were safe, for now.

Minutes passed and still the Beast thrashed and still Beast Boy struggled inside. It took every ounce of strength to keep the Beast from submitting him. He shouldn't have shifted to the Beast so casually. He should have known it would try to break free from his will. All of the wild animals within him tried to break free. Why wouldn't the Beast? The self doubt only weakened his state of mind. He was going to lose and someone was going to get hurt.

#

The alarm blared in Titans Tower, the red emergency lights radiating in tandem with the siren. In a practice motion, the four teens met in the common room for briefing. Robin, who had rushed from the gym, was the last to arrive. He saw Cyborg fiddle with the computer system in his arm while Starfire and Raven waited for his diagnoses.

"Cyborg, status report!" Robin commanded as he approached his friends. It was already turning to be the evening and Beast Boy was not with them. It wouldn't have been the first time the changeling slept through an emergency call, and Robin was sure to bring it up with his teammate later.

"Someone's hacking into our systems," he said frantically. He rushed over to a wall panel and slid it aside to reveal a computer. He pounded furiously on the keys to try and counter the hacker. "Whoever it is, they're good. I can't stop-" He pressed a key and an electrical surge blasted him a few feet back.

"Cyborg!" Starfire yelled in concern. "Are you well?" She helped her dazed robotic friend to his feet.

"That was most impressive, Cyborg," a cryptic voice echoed over the Tower's intercom. "But you'll have to do better than that to stop me." A familiar black and bronze mask appeared on the computer's monitor. A single eye on the left side of the mask stared at the four surprised but angry titans.

"Slade!" Robin hissed, moving to the front of the computer.

"Don't be greedy, Robin," Slade said with a bemused tone. "I want to see all of your lovely faces."

"What do you want?" Robin growled as he reluctantly backed away from the monitor.

"Why, what makes you think I want something from you?" Slade asked, his eye narrowing playfully.

"Why else would you personally contact us?" Raven snapped. "Cut the crap and tell us!"

"How very perceptive, dear Raven." The sight of Raven seething from his remark pleased him. "I want you to come to me so that we may... talk." The feed was cut and replaced by a map of Jump City with a large S marked over old downtown.

"What should we do? It is clearly a tap," Starfire said, torn between action and inaction.

"We go anyways," Robin said, punching his palm with his fist. "If there's a trap waiting for us, we'll just beat it. Then we'll defeat Slade once and for all." He noticed that Beast Boy still had not shown up and asked with mild agitation. "Where is Beast Boy? I know he's been having an attitude, but that's no excuse for him to not respond to a distress call."

"He's not here," Raven answered before Robin could storm off. "He went to the woods to train alone." The very statement seemed like an oxymoron.

Robin pulled out his circular communicator. "Beast Boy. Robin to Beast Boy, come in! Beast Boy!" After a minute of no response he looked to Raven. "Find him then meet up with us. If we are walking into an ambush, hopefully we can counter with your reinforcement."

Raven hesitated, knowing the possibility of encountering the Beast. But she was the only one who knew Beast Boy's immediate location and they all needed to work together to defeat Slade. A terrible feeling sank into her gut, but she pushed it aside and fazed out of the tower.

Robin regarded his two friends, hoping they could hold off until Raven and Beast Boy got there. The team was severely crippled and they were in no position to take Slade head on. "Titans, go!"

#

Raven landed in a forest clearing once she sensed Beast Boy was close. She stood on guard from the anger and pain emanating all around her. It was almost overbearing to the point she had to block out her abilities of empathy. Fear quickly grasped her when she noticed the scarred earth and tress. A growl sounded behind her and she spun ready to shield herself from attack. But there was nothing but the silhouettes of trees in the rapidly darkening forest.

She was one who normally embraced the darkness, took comfort in the shadows. It was a blanket of security she could hide in, to hide what she truly is from others. But now she would rather be anywhere else other than surrounded by darkness. She became petrified with fear, with Brave struggling to overcome the irrational emotion. The sound of claws scraping the trunk of a tree sounded behind her and she spun once more.

"B-beast Boy?" Raven spoke, trying to hide the fear in her voice. She became frustrated with herself at showing such weakness. She appeared as a frightened little girl, helpless in the darkness she was so familiar. But she knew not to ignore her fear, unless she wished her powers to manifest into that fear she was avoiding. "Beast Boy if this is one of your stupid jokes, it is definitely not funny."

There was only silence. A terrible silence of desertion, where every living creature fled without warning. A few leaves fell in front of her face and she glanced up. Just feet from her face was the Beast, growing bigger, falling faster. Raven's eyes widened as she erected a shield around herself just in time. But the Beast fell with such a heavy blow that her shield shattered and she fell to the ground, pinned beneath the green monster.

It snarled in her face, razor sharp fangs inches from her skin. Fear strangled her, gripped her very soul. She searched for her mantra to defend herself but she felt stripped from her power. Helpless. Defenseless. She was starring death in the eyes. Never before had she experienced fear to the extent that it crippled her. The Beast pinned her firmly to the ground with his hand on her chest, his other clawed hand raised for the killing blow. She would die and only Beast Boy could save her.

All the while Beast Boy thrashed inside, throwing his will against the Beast. He screamed in rage and horror as the Beast pinned Raven. He was too weak, too insignificant. He thrashed around like an animal, calling on his other instincts to attempt to override the beast. He was going to kill Raven.

"Beast Boy!" Raven screamed, suddenly finding her voice. Of all the things to say, it was his name. She always thought her dying breath would be something else. That her final thoughts would be of something else. Someone other than the green changeling.

Beast Boy snapped. Raven's voice felt so foreign to his ears. It was not dry or raspy, but full of emotion. Full of passion. Fear. Despair. Hope. She sounded as if she was begging. He could see it in her eyes as well. Fear. Despair. Hope. They were begging for her life. The sudden thought of life without Raven struck a deep pain in his heart. The fact that he would be her murderer pushed him over the edge. He could not lose Raven. He could not lose the one person he cared for more than anyone else. He roared in the Beast's mind and slammed against its will just as it moved to strike.

Beast Boy struck with such force that the Beast hesitated, sparring Raven a few minutes. He could feel the Beast strike back to subdue him but he did not budge. His need for Raven fueled his power and he struck back harder and with more force. He became overwhelmed with rage and sorrow and took everything out on the Beast.

The Beast howled and backed away from the startled Raven. It clutched its head in both claws and dropped to its knees when Beast Boy attacked again. Raven could sense Beast Boy inside with a ferocity she never thought he could hold. Panic, rage, and sorrow flooded her senses, as well as smaller traces of fear. They were all so great and she could feel the Beast's presence weaken. At first it held just as much rage as Beast Boy, but soon that rage was replaced by an even greater source of fear and pain. Whatever Beast Boy was doing to retain control of the Beast, he was doing so without mercy.

The Beast yielded after another blow, but Beast Boy continued to pound the creature's will with fury. He did not stop, reveling in each painful blow. The creature shriveled in his mind, under his imposing will and he pressed down until it cried out in pain. Soon he found himself completely in control of his body, still in the Beast's form. He panted heavily as his consciousness focused on reality. He stood motionless except for his heaving shoulders. All traces of the Beast's primal anger was but a shadow of his will. He was the alpha. He had broken the Beast.

Raven trembled as she watched the Beast calm so suddenly after its rage fit. It panted heavily with a blank placid stare on its face. She was almost certain the creature couldn't even see her, or its surroundings for that matter.

"Beast Boy?" Raven dared to ask. The creature looked at her, its ears drooped and a whine escaped its maw. The green behemoth shrank until it was the size of Beast Boy's small scrawny form. The changeling looked to the ground with his face stricken with guilt.

"Raven I-" he paused fighting back tears. "I'm sorry," he whispered, almost ready to breakdown.

"It's not your fault," she instinctively whispered back. She knew he was not in control, but she instead focused on the fact that he gained control in just enough time to save her. She was alive, that was all that mattered at the moment.

"It is!" he looked at her with watery eyes. "I let it out. I couldn't control it. I almost killed you!"

Raven gently placed her hands on his shoulders even though they still trembled. "It almost killed me," she corrected. "But you saved me. That's all that matters." Raven felt herself becoming uncomfortable. She didn't know how else to comfort or reassure the changeling. Starfire would be much more suited for this situation. She did the only thing she could think of and brought him closer for a hug. She let him cry on her shoulder, not thinking any less of him for doing so. Her faced reddened when he tightened his embrace during his sobs. After a few minutes he finally calmed down and they backed a step away.

"Do you hate me now?" Beast Boy asked meekly. His eyes were puffy and bloodshot and his figure was depressingly hunched over. He looked absolutely pathetic.

Raven was taken aback by the sudden question. "No Beast Boy, I don't," she said to reassure him, but he didn't seem convinced. "I was terrified and I really thought I was going to die," she started, using her power to wipe away his stray tears and clear the snot from his upper lip. "But I could feel you fighting it the whole time. I had hope that you would win, that you would save me. And you did."

Beast boy looked at her and smiled. "Sooo, I thought you didn't like to be a princess who needed saving?" He gave her a playful wink.

"I don't. I just said that to make you feel better," Raven said dryly on impulse. Beast Boy's ears immediately dropped and she mentally slapped herself. A bit too harsh on the sarcasm. "I was kidding. Just don't make a habit of it."

Beast Boy beamed. "So can we keep this between you and me? The others don't need to know do they?" Especially Robin, though he chose not to express that thought. If Robin ever found out about his transformation and his attack on Raven, his leader would crucify him.

Raven shook her head. "No, they don't. It would be best if we kept this to ourselves." Suddenly the whole reason she came for Beast Boy dawned on her. "The others! We need to go now. Slade is back! Can you fight?"

Beast Boy nodded. The mention of Slade's return brought up bitter memories of his last encounter with one of the villain's dopplegangers. He even considered bringing out the tamed Beast to fight Slade, but decided against it. He didn't fear that it would take control next time, but he instead feared how his friends would react to the Beast. He didn't even think they knew he used it during their fight with Trigon's fire demons. He would have to save his newfound control for a later engagement.

"Let's go."

* * *

A/N: So I have some good news and some bad news. Good news is that chapter 3 is already done, I just need to type it up and make a few edits. The bad news is that I'm going to the beach next week and won't be putting it up that week, but the week I get back. I had originally intended to give it to you this Saturday, but decided not to and to let the story sit for a little bit. Let it attract new viewers and let anyone who hadn't gotten a chance to read chapter two to do so. But you can definitely expect the next chapter to be up the Tuesday I get back and hopefully every update on the following Tuesdays.

If you liked the chapter, leave a review. Tell me what you liked, what you didn't like, what you would have done instead. I'm interested to hear what you have to say. Since I couldn't respond to the anons individually, I'd like to thank the two anons who left a review for the next chapter. It's good to know I have an audience.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Sorry for the long wait. I'm back from the beach, had an amazing time, and now I'm back to the sad reality of the adult life. I think that's all I have for the top author's note, but I'll have more to say at the bottom. Hope you enjoy this heavy action-packed chapter.

* * *

Slade's Return

Slade waited in the court square of old downtown Jump City. The old mayor's office appeared as a relic compared to his newer inner city mansion. Soon the old magnificent mansion would be torn down, along with the rest of the downtown district, just to be replaced by apartment complexes and office buildings. The small park that consisted the court square would likely be turned into a parking lot. People just didn't have much use for the wide lush green field. It was a shame to see such a historic place become an after thought of society. But that was the fate of the old: to be replaced by the new.

Single story shops and abandoned houses lined the streets in a perfect grid. It was an organized architecture he could admire. The buildings were condensed so that it eliminated alleyways for trash or degenerates to stockpile much like they did in the city. All the roads were one way streets, with the main roads being two lanes and all others single lanes. There was enough space for cars to park on either side of the road and well kept side walks for pedestrians. Not too far from the court house was a large church and school yard, long since closed with the rest of downtown. Once, during the days of the frontier when Jump City was but a small town, the downtown was a thriving community. It was self sustaining, with its own police and fire station located in the square. The school yard would accommodate the entire population. Every Sunday the massive church would be packed for talk of religion he long stopped believing in.

In the distance towered Jump City, a monumental figure that had long since forgotten its roots. What was once a peaceful and united community was now stricken with crime and hateful citizens. The newer downtown district was a disgrace to the historic site he stood in; it was filthy and full of the unworthy. The city would soon experience his wrath. He would purge the populace without mercy and turn the city to dust. In its place would be his fortress so that he may only begin his grand scheme. He didn't particularly feel any attachment to the abandoned downtown, but he felt the need to spare it the destruction of its child. It would be a monument to the last of the old west. Before he could do any of that, he needed the titans to come out from hiding.

"Come, Titans," he said loud enough for them to hear him. He had figured their location long ago with the heavy footsteps of Cyborg's metal feet and their constant whispering. With the dead silence of the late evening, any sound carried and he had enough training to pinpoint its source. They were on the rooftop behind him, and most likely plotting their method of attack. He could only figure they hadn't struck yet due to the fear of an ambush. It was not like him to approach them in the open, and he had succeeded in making them take unnecessary precautions, for he truly was alone. "I grow tired of waiting." He turned around and looked up to the roof of the building where he saw only three of the teens. His eye narrowed suspiciously at the absence of Beast Boy and Raven, and he knew not to let down his guard.

The three titans jumped from the roof, the more than capable teens landing with ease. They each stopped a few yards away with their weapons drawn. Slade smiled in amusement, one they could not see, as he studied their stances. They were so predictable. Robin and Cyborg would charge head on, while Starfire's hovering stance would allow her to take to the air and hit him from any angle. Her flying would be a minor annoyance to deal with, but he had a plan to counter each of their trademark weapons and abilities. After being their enemy for so long, dealing with the Titans was more of a nuisance than anything. He was done playing his games. He would bring them down once and for all.

"If I wanted to ambush you, I would have done so the moment you got here," Slade said in his calm and cryptic tone. Starfire and Cyborg remained skeptical, but Robin's calculating mind seemed to acknowledge how far ahead he was of the titans. Robin knew his capabilities, his resources, his mastermind. He was always several steps ahead with only one unfortunate circumstance catching him off guard- his death. Robin had potential to keep up with him, to anticipate his moves, to try and stop him, but that potential always came up short. The boy wonder only had one decision to make this encounter, one that would determine if the titans would live to fight another day or if they would be destroyed. Knowing the arrogance of his old apprentice, he would order his team to their death.

"I'm not sensing his minions anywhere, so either he's telling the truth, or he's found a way to avoid detection of my sensors," Cyborg said angrily. He looked to the scanner on his arm that only showed four dots in the district. They were alone with Slade, or surrounded by cloaked minions. If the latter were true, they were in trouble for Raven and Beast Boy hadn't shown up on his sensors either. It had been an hour since they left the tower and he began to wonder if something happened on their end with Beast Boy.

"He's alone," Robin said through gritted teeth. "He wants to take us on personally. But it's your mistake coming alone because we're going to take you down for good."

Slade laughed.

"What is so funny?" Starfire demanded. She looked unnaturally angry, her prime reason for hating Slade was his psychological torture of Robin. "You are not in a position to be laughing."

"Is that so? Even if you manage to defeat me, and turn me in, what then? Do you think I will stop behind bars? Do you think that even the worlds highest security prison can contain me? I would be freed long before the execution is even ordered." He continued to laugh at the titan's delusional hope.

"Either way we're gonna stop you. And if you get out, we'll just put you back in," Cyborg said with his cannon aimed at Slade.

"Then let's get on with why I called you here," Slade said, still amused by their confidence. He stood tall with his hands clasped firmly behind his back. He was ready to spring into action for he knew the choice the titan's would make. "You can either listen to what I have to say, and then live to fight another day, or you can die." The options seemed to take them by surprise, but Robin, as he suspected, ordered the attack.

Slade sprung into action immediately, this time not waiting for them to come to him. This alone seemed to catch the titans off guard as there was a slight stutter in their step. Robin and Cyborg were at the head of the charge while Starfire struck from a distance. He ducked and side stepped starbolts as he ran and met the boy wonder first. Robin already brandished his bo-staff and swung high, to which Slade ducked, spun on his toe and kicked upwards into Robin's jaw. The weightless teen shot off like a rocket which forced Starfire to temporarily end her assault to catch her friend. Cyborg fired off his cannon a mere feet away, giving him only s split second to react. He flipped back gracefully from the sonic blast and looked at the cybernetic teen with malice in his eye.

He could see the worry in Cyborg's eye as the events unfolded in an instant. The teen was likely surprised by his speed and finesse in landing a hit on Robin and now they were alone. Slade estimated he had perhaps a minute before Robin got his senses back and came to his friend's aid. But a minute was all Slade needed to crush Cyborg. Slade charged, cutting a sharp left to avoid another blast from Cyborg's arm. He cut right next, then rolled forward and slightly to the left. With each cannon blast he avoided, he closed the distance between them. Cyborg knew he was outmatched, so the best the teen could do was stall and keep Slade at bay.

Slade closed the final gap between him and Cyborg and launched his knee into the teen's gut. There was a crunch as Slade's knee busted a few panels of Cyborg's armor. The titan responded with several heavy blows that missed completely. Slade was too fast, weaving from side to side before the mechanical fists came close to touching him. He delivered swift calculating punches on Cyborg's body armor, each one heavy and devastating.

Dents covered Cyborg's torso and many panels exposed his internal wiring. He was losing ground to Slade's superior strength and speed and focused on defending his exposed areas until he could receive help. But his defensive play only opened up more areas for Slade to tear apart. It was only a matter of time before Slade left him as a pile of scrap metal. Slade was about to slam his fists down on him when a blur tackled him in the side and flew into the front of an old brick building. The structure collapsed with the lack of support and moments later Starfire flew up from the rubble covered in dust. Robin came to his side to help him to his feet. There was a large gash on his leader's chin where he was struck by their opponent.

"Are you alright?" Robin asked with concern. Slade's kick nearly broke his neck along with splitting his chin open.

Cyborg removed his arms from his damaged torso. Wires were beginning to hang loosely and spark every now and then. "For now. I can't take much more of a beating like this though." He growled at just how easily Slade had bested them. It hadn't even been five minutes and he was ready to call it quits. "We need Raven and Beast Boy. I don't know how long they will be, my sensors were destroyed trying to defend myself."

Starfire's scream brought their attention to the wreckage as a small explosion blasted her out of the air and to the ground. Grass and dirt sprawled everywhere as Starfire came crashing through the park. Her two friends rushed to her aid and were relieved to see that she was only dazed.

Slade stood from the ruins of the building with only minor cuts and scrapes. He dusted off his suit as he approached the wounded teens. He was in far better shape than they were and had yet to use his newest device. He was beginning to think that he didn't even need to at the rate the teens were fighting. If only they had listened to him, they might of had a chance to live just a little while longer. He reached for his belt and grabbed two more explosives and activated them, then threw them both at the weakened teens. They were too slow to react and could only brace themselves for the explosion. A wall of negative energy surround the three teens just in time to shield them from the explosion. When the shield dropped he saw Raven and Beast Boy helping their friends. "So, the family is back together. It doesn't change anything."

"Looks like we got here just in time," Beast Boy said with relief.

"Barely," Cyborg grumbled. "If you guys can give me a few minutes to make emergency repairs, I can get back in the fight. But I'll need you to cover me."

"You got it," Robin said, glad to have the full team with him. Raven and Beast Boy's arrival gave him confidence that they now had a chance to defeat Slade. "Everyone be careful and don't let him get near Cyborg."

Slade chuckled. "I accept your challenge." He set his sight on Cyborg and charged. The titans moved to defend their friend, working in tandem with each other to unleash a hail of assaults. Starfire struck at him with a fury of Starbolts while Raven threw projectiles of anything she could find with her magic. Bricks and debris from construction rained on him and he was forced on the defensive. Just as the projectiles stopped, Robin engaged him. He jumped back and weaved from side to side as the boy wonder punched and kicked. A strong force slammed into his back as Beast Boy plowed into him in the form of a ram, launching him into Robin's kicks. As he tumbled along the ground he was pelted once more by Raven and Starfire.

"That's enough," Slade said forcing himself to his feet. "It's time you play the game my way." He pushed a button located on his belt, but nothing seemed to happen at first. Then, a mass of bricks that had been tossed towards Slade by Raven's energy, suddenly plummeted to the ground, almost crushing Beast Boy in the process. Starfire's glowing fists flashed for a second, then disappeared. Both female titans were baffled by the sudden failure in their powers.

"Yikes, Raven are you trying to kill me!?" Beast Boy crashed to the ground after shifting back from a small bird to avoid the falling bricks.

"Ah," Raven gasped as she slowly begin to descend from the air then plummet with increasing speed. She tried to use her powers of levitation, but there was some force bottling her powers inside. She could see Starfire drop as well, who was clearly also stricken by the same effects. Before she could hit the ground she landed in massive green hairy arms. Beast Boy turned back into his human form with a huge grin plastered on his face.

"That's twice now." He winked at her and set her down only to receive a stiff punch on his arm. "Ow!"

"I said don't make a habit of it," Raven growled, more frustrated at her sudden loss of powers more than Beast Boy's remark. She could feel the energy within her, welled up and waiting to be release, but when she tried to use it, nothing happened. It was not due to any lack of focus on her end. She looked over to Starfire, who had landed safely in Robin's arms and noticed the teen was just as confused. "I don't understand. I can't use my powers."

"Mine are gone as well, but yet they are not gone at the same time." Starfire grunted as she tried to fire off one of her Starbolts but nothing happened. She jumped to fly, but simply landed back on her feet. Even her most joyous thoughts could not take her to the sky. They were interrupted by Slade's laugh. Again the teens regrouped, Beast Boy and Robin unsure of what just happened to their friends.

"Welcome to the negative zone," Slade said with open arms. "This device neutralizes all means of energy manipulation within a certain area. Since you are so close to the source, it is impossible for you to break through it and use your powers." Without their powers to help them, Raven and Starfire would be almost useless to the team. Starfire still had her super human strength and combat experience, but as far as he knew, Raven's hand to hand combat experience was lacking. The playing field had been severely tipped in his favor.

"This is not good," Cyborg said in a panic. "My energy cells are draining. My sonic cannon is nonoperational. I'll be fighting off of my reserves very soon." He managed to make only a few minor repairs and any further attempt under this negative zone would only hastened the depletion of his energy cells.

Robin gritted his teeth. His team was severely crippled, with only him and Beast Boy fit to fight at their fullest. Though he hated the thought of letting Slade go, again, they had to retreat. Slade revealed his ace early. They needed to figure out a way around it, but first they needed to get away. "Titans, fall back," he commanded reluctantly.

"Oh, no, I'm not letting you leave, Robin. You had your chance, remember?" Slade rushed the team, this time without fear of a hail of assaults. His biggest threat would be Beast Boy's larger animals, a power he did not know how to block. As for the others, they were fighting his game, one he was a master at.

"Retreat," Robin commanded. "Beast Boy and I will hold him until you guys can get out of here." Robin was about to counter charge Slade but was stopped by Starfire. Beast Boy on the other hand shifted into a velociraptor and engaged Slade.

"No, we either fight together, or flee together," Starfire said adamantly. "It is clear that Slade was prepared for us and that he is much stronger than us. You may not be able to hold him on your own."

"I have to try, Starfire. If we all stay, he'll overwhelm us. If we all try to run, he'll only catch up," Robin tried to reassure her. He looked to Raven for help, knowing that she was more in control over her emotions and level headed. "Please, Star, I will be fine, I promise. Beast Boy and I will stay only to give you guys a head start. The moment you can use your powers, fly out of here."

"He is right Starfire. We are at a severe disadvantage right now. We cannot fly and we cannot use our powers. We're weakening the team right now," Raven said to Starfire.

Cyborg punched the ground in frustration. He felt completely useless, but knew Robin was right. The three of them were without their greatest assets and would be no match for Slade. He realized just how dependent they were on their abilities that the moment they were taken away, they were vulnerable. While Robin and Starfire argued, his brain began to analyze Slade's new device. He understood the concept of the negative zone, but he had no idea how to construct something to counter it. He stood up, which drained even more of his energy. "I would stay if I could, Star, but I'm too close to going offline. I believe in Robin and Beast Boy, so I know they'll be fine."

Starfire looked to Cyborg's broken figure disheartened. She couldn't leave Robin and Beast Boy alone, yet should couldn't keep Cyborg here either. She jabbed Robin in the chest with her finger, giving him a concerned glare. "Five minutes. That is as long as I'll allow for you to stay behind."

Robin smiled and gripped her hand tightly. "That's all I'll need, Starfire." He leaned forward to give her a quick kiss for extra reassurance. It lasted a little longer than he wanted given their current circumstances and he looked to his other two friends with flushing cheeks. "Um, right, well, get moving. We'll be right behind you." Though he liked to keep his relationship with Starfire private, he couldn't help the few times their couple-ness slipped out around the others, and each time he got relentless teasing for it. He knew once things calmed down, the teasing would come later.

Beast Boy soared through the air and came crashing through the ground in the form of a tiger. He skidded to a halt at their feet and shifted back into a human. "Duuuuude, I'm getting my ass kicked," he growled as he sat up rubbing his head. "Tag in already."

"Let's go," Robin said, and lunged to engage Slade. Beast Boy watched the rest of his friends flee on foot and found that Starfire was looking back towards Robin, and Raven towards him. He flinched as he caught her eyes, but smiled and flashed her a thumbs up. He could have sworn he saw a slight smile, but pushed it out of his mind and shifted into a jaguar to help Robin.

Slade growled in frustration as he saw the titans escape. Beast Boy had proved to be an unusual challenge for him. It seemed that baiting him with Terra no longer blinded the changeling's actions. As a result he received several unnecessary claw wounds to his shoulder and side. They were not crippling and most likely would heal within the hour, but it was an unexpected inconvenience to him. Of all people to under estimate, he had made the mistake with the weakest member of the group. Yet Beast Boy had so far managed to inflict the most damage upon him. He would certainly have to find a way to cripple the changeling like he had the others.

Now he had to deal with both Beast Boy and Robin. He caught Robin's foot in mid air and swung him like a bat into jaguar- Beast Boy. The two rolled to the side and he began to pursue the fleeing titans. If they got far enough away from the negative zone, they would start gaining their powers back. He extended its range through his belt which would extend the range by several yards at the cost of its strength. He was tackled to the ground by a heavy beast and felt a pair of claws rip into his back. He jabbed his elbow back, knocking a lion in the jaw and flipped over to his back. Beast Boy lunged with his fangs and latched onto Slade's armored gauntlets while Robin ran up to the scene. Slade brought up his boots and kicked Beast Boy off of him who changed into a bird mid air and landed softly on the ground in human form.

Slade looked at where the other three titans were, but the street was empty. They were gone. He seethed with anger at the set back and jumped to his feet. He growled and charged Robin, delivering a power spinning kick to his chest. Beast Boy shifted into a gorilla and slammed its giant fists into the ground, where Slade once stood. But he was too nimble, and jumped out of the way. He took out his bo-staff and extended it to its full length and repeatedly swiped it against Beast Boy's face. Beast Boy brought up his arms to take the brunt of the blows until Robin came in with his own bo-staff. Slade was pushed back by their combined effort momentarily, before he threw out a few flash grenades to stun Beast Boy.

The gorilla clutched its head and howled as everything went white and ringing filled his ears. Slade took this opportunity to strike back against Robin, striking him repeatedly in chest after passing through his defenses. He disarmed his opponent, steel bo-staff clanging on the street, and pushed the butt of his pole against Robin's throat. All it would take was a simple thrust to crush the teens windpipe. Just as he was about to finish the boy wonder, Beast Boy flew in his face as a bat then shifted into a monkey. Still blinded by the affects of the flash bang, Beast Boy screamed and thrashed around, beating Slade's head repeatedly. It was harmless, but annoying, and gave Robin enough time to get up. Slade ripped monkey- Beast Boy off his mask and threw him to the ground at his feet, then kicked him with his steel boots.

Their five minutes were up. Robin rushed Beast Boy and grabbed him by his curly tail and fled. The green monkey screeched and clambered up to Robin's shoulders until his senses returned. As Robin ran, Slade was close behind, determined to catch up with them. He was serious this time; he wanted them dead. If he couldn't kill them all tonight, he would at least settle for two. They were in trouble. He looked over his shoulder to see Slade right on him, then suddenly fall back and shrink away. Robin felt his feet lift off the ground and sturdy claws grasp his shoulders. He looked up to see Beast Boy as a pterodactyl and sighed in relief. Beast Boy had regained his senses just in time. Robin's eyes widened and he pulled his legs up in enough time to avoid being cut off at the knees. It seemed the changeling's senses had only partially returned.

Slade clenched his fists as he watched the two teens escape to the air. He had failed in destroying them like he said he would. Though it changed nothing in his plans, it made him look incapable of defeating them. He shook with anger and he wanted to yell in rage and frustration. But instead he took deep breaths and calmed himself. Their escape was nothing to fret over. He would simply proceed as if they had chosen to listen to him instead of fight. The only problem with that was that now he had to deliver his message to them. He should have just skipped the confrontation all together. It proved to be a waste of his time and caused him to reveal his negative zone device early. They would surely be prepared for their next encounter. He may have made a wrong move, but he was sure to have his mistakes covered. They would be prepared, just for the wrong threat.

* * *

A/N: So I did a little flip flopping between the perspectives of Slade and the Titans during the fight for a little more depth. If you liked it, let me know and I'll continue to write fights this way. If you found it confusing or hard to follow, let me know so I can try and avoid any confusion. I would also like to apologize for cutting out the fight between Beast Boy and Slade. Instead I wanted to focus on a little moment between Robin and Starfire. This fic isn't centered around them or their relationship, but I want to give them as many moments as I can allow. But don't worry, Beast Boy will have plenty of time to shine in combat, and he will be awesome.

I am switching to a new job site on Wednesday, so I will no longer be working a graveyard shift where I have time to write for twelve hours. This time I'll have normal hours and a normal shift, with actual people to interact with, so I won't be able to write as much. I'll pretty much be restricted to the mornings if I can get up, or on my days off when I'm not on the road. I hate making excuses, but updates won't be as regular as I had hoped with this job site switch. But it is only for the month of July and then I'll be done for the summer before I head back to school, in which my writing should pick up again. The next chapter shouldn't be too long as this one or the last, so hopefully it will come soon.


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